-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- College football 's top-ranked LSU Tigers defeated the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide 9-6 in overtime Saturday night .

LSU won the coin toss in overtime , electing to start on defense . The Crimson Tide 's offense sputtered in the extra session with two incomplete passes , a penalty for having 12 men in the huddle and a sack for a 5-yard loss .

Cade Foster , Alabama 's placekicker , who had already missed three field goals earlier , missed another from 52 yards out .

After that , LSU marched down the field , nearly scoring a touchdown but running back Michael Ford stepped out of bounds .

Big game a work of heart

LSU elected to attempt a field goal and Drew Alleman -- who kicked two field goals earlier -- hit the 25-yard game-winner .

The game , before a Bryant-Denny Stadium crowd in Tuscaloosa , mainly witnessed field goals and punts . Neither team scored a single touchdown .

The low score might be surprising , given that the teams totaled 45 points in 2010 , 39 in 2009 and 48 in 2008 .

The game was the first-ever SEC regular season game matching the country 's two top teams , which were undefeated going into play .

Both teams were among the nation 's best when it came to defense and Saturday 's game was no exception with LSU notching a field goal in the last seconds for a 3-3 tie going into halftime . Alabama missed two field goals in the first half .

` Game of the century ' decided by kickers

The defensive standoff continued in the second half .

Alabama went up 6-3 midway through the third quarter with a 46-yard field goal . LSU tied the game early in the fourth quarter with a 30-yard field goal .

Recap : No. 1 LSU vs. No. 2 Alabama

Going into the game , LSU had outscored its opponent by 222 points this year , according to the school 's athletics website .

The game , broadcast by CBS , was played under clear but cool skies .

CNN 's Phil Gast contributed to this report .

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Drew Alleman , who kicked two field goals earlier , hits the 25-yard game-winner

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Neither team scores a touchdown

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It is the first-ever SEC regular season game matching the country 's two top teams